Such screen devices are usually installed to screen off an outside space or, on the contrary, to open it up. Thus, such screen devices are often installed in domestic dwellings, restaurants, shops and the like to protect an outdoor terrace or the like from the sun, precipitation and/or wind or, on the contrary, to allow the sunlight through temporarily. These screen devices may be designed in the form of awnings, pergolas, verandas, terrace coverings, carports, etc.
Such a screen construction typically comprises a roof construction (covering) which is at least partly supported by columns. The covering usually comprises several beams as structural parts which are assembled to form one or more frames. Such a frame is typically supported on four (or more) columns or is, also typically, attached to a wall on one or more sides for support and supported on another side by two (or more) columns. The columns are structural parts of the screen device (in addition to the beams). The covering may be fixed or may comprise a screen which can be rolled up and unrolled, or may comprise optionally rotatable and/or slidable slats, etc. Such screen devices are often also provided with electrical components, such as lighting and/or heating. Furthermore, these screen devices are also often provided laterally with screens to screen off the opening between two columns. In this case, this opening may be screened off by a screen which can be rolled up onto and unrolled from a screen roller. It is also possible to provide sliding walls therein.
In such screen devices, a roof construction usually comprises several beams which are often assembled to form a frame. These beams are typically fastened on top of or between the columns.
Constructing a screen device in situ is often laborious in practice. When such a beam is for example provided with a screen roller with a cloth which can be rolled up onto and unrolled from the screen roller to form a wall-forming element of the screen device, then such a beam is relatively heavy.
When the dimensions of such screen devices have to be modified in order to adapt the screen device, for example, to environmental factors, then not only do the beams and/or the columns have to be sawn to length, but in many cases they also have to be milled to suitable shapes in order to make it possible to attach, for example, gutters or screen guides or fittings, etc.
Until now, it was necessary to provide a relatively large number of standard parts or to carry out a relatively large amount of made-to-measure modifications per variant in order to make it possible to vary the construction of screen devices while still keeping installation relatively simple.
In a screen device as described in EP 1 493 884 A2, parts of the lateral beams project with respect to the columns after the lateral beams have been fastened on top of the columns. This is often undesirable in cases where a screen device is to be added onto an existing building, in which case the columns will be located in undesired positions. Also from an aesthetic point of view, screen devices in which the beams (and thus the covering) do not project beyond the columns are usually preferred. However, the lateral beams of this screen device are adapted to make it possible to erect several screen devices next to one another in an easy manner.
With this screen device, the cross beams are provided between the lateral beams. These cross beams either have to be fitted between the lateral beams before these are installed on the columns or have to be fitted between the lateral beams after these have been installed on the columns. In the first case, it has to be possible to fit a relatively heavy frame on top of the columns. In the second case, this cross beam first has to be lifted up in the correct position between the lateral beams before it can be secured. Lifting a heavy beam is not easy and in both cases, installing such a beam is therefore a relatively laborious task.
In a screen device as described in EP 2 011 932 A1, lateral beams are connected to the columns at an angle and a front beam is fitted between the columns. In order to modify the dimensions of such a screen device, the front beam may be sawn to size at one of its two ends. Analogously, the lateral beams and the columns may be shortened at their end facing away from the end which is to be connected to a corresponding column or lateral beam at an angle. However, in order to fit such a front beam between two columns, it first has to be lifted up into the correct position before it can be fastened. Lifting such a heavy beam is not easy in this case either, making the installation of such a front beam in situ a relatively laborious task.
With regard to arrangement, this screen device offers little flexibility, since it always has to be fitted in such a manner that it adjoins a wall and can therefore not be erected in a detached position. However, it is possible to erect several screen devices next to one another in a simple manner, but not behind one another.
A screen device as described in BE 1 019 767 A3 allows a greater degree of flexibility in the construction of the screen device, since such screen devices can be arranged both next to each other and behind each other and can also be erected in a detached position as well as attached to existing buildings. Depending on the positioning, modified beams and columns are required to this end plus modified connecting pieces and/or milling in order to provide for the required drainage.
With regard to construction, the beams of this screen device are fitted between the columns, so that it is likewise necessary here to firstly lift the beams up into the correct position before they can be fastened.